The DJD Transport, Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally 2014 Press Release 4: Mini’s and Millingtons…………. The stages are set, the plans are finalised and the countdown is on to the best forest rally of 2014, The DJD Transport, Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally. Round 4 of the Motorsport Ireland, Valvoline Forest Rally Championship sees the country’s top gravel crews descend upon the north Cork Towns of Buttevant and Ballyhea for what has long been regarded as Ireland’s premier Forest Rally. Clerk of the Course, Sean Daly has organised a superb event which kicks off on Saturday August 23rd in Buttevant where the crews and cars will be put through mechanical and documentation scrutiny at Greenhall Motors. On Sunday August 24th the crews will take on 8 magnificent gravel stages totalling 80km, all located within the famous Ballyhoura Forest complex. Service for the event will be located at The Charleville AgriculturalShowgrounds Ballyhea, giving the spectators a chance to get up close with the cars and drivers. The Cork Motor Club is delighted to announce that a fabulous entry has already been received for the event with more coming daily. The line up across the classes features the cream of gravel specialists. At the front it really is anyone’s call. Previous winners of the event include Owen Murphy, Pat O’Connell and John Reid, all of whom are confirmed. They are joined by Monaghan hotshot Josh Moffett who has proved to be Mr. Consistent to date in this year’s Valvoline Championship. A huge talking point for the event has to be the entry of Draperstown’s Derek McGeehan in the works specification Mini WRC, a first for the southern forests. Derek and the Mini have proved to be hugely competitive on gravel in the Northern Ireland Championship and will be right up there battling for top honours in Cork. Portglenone’s Desi Henry returns to Cork eager to reinvigorate his championship bid after a non finish in Wicklow. Waterford’s Andrew Purcell enters in his older but still very potent Mitsubishi Evo 6. Two further dark horses have to be Niall Henry and Peter McCullagh in their respective Mitsubishi Evo 9s. Both of these drivers posted hugely impressive times on last year’s event. Martin Cairns and Brendan Cumiskey enter in a pair of Subaru Impreza WRCs to add to the already fabulous line up. Overseas crews include Welch native Sara Williams and Martin Donnelly who makes the long trip from the USA. Sara brings her Subaru Impreza back to Cork after being awed by the Ballyhouras in 2013 and will certainly be one to watch out for as she proved her speed on last year’s event. Martin brings his fabulous McGeehan Motorsport prepared Corolla WRC into the woods for some sideways action. In the 2wd category, excitement is really building. All the “Top Guns” of gravel are coming to Cork. Last year’s 2wd winner and reining “MK2 Master” Frank Kelly makes the trip from Tyrone to defend the title in his now infamous “Baby Blue”. The competition from the chasing pack is set to be fierce however. Previous Cork 2wd winners and fellow Tyrone men, Shane McGirr and Adrian Hetherington will be eager to put a fly in the Kelly ointment. McGirr’s form to date in the 2.0 Toyota Starlet has been superb and Hetherington always goes at maximum attack in Cork with his 2.5 Mk2 Escort. Kelly is really going to have to be at the top of his game in the Ballyhouras if he hopes to retain the coveted 2wd crown. Vivian Hamill, another Tyrone native, brings his stunning 2.5 MK2 Escort to Cork as does Monaghan’s Mickey Conlon with his beautiful 2.0 example. Seamus O’Connell and Ian Millar line out in a pair of BDA powered Escorts, both of whom are set to scream their way through the Ballyhouras. Wicklow 2wd winner David Crossen makes his Cork debut in his ultra-competitive Escort and should prove to be a real contender for the 2wd honors. Local aces include Ballyhea’s very own Paul Fitzgerald and Mallow man Jimmy Dean who are set to restore the old rivalry and go head to head in their respective class 3 Escorts. The EARS.ie “Mark 2 Master” award has generated huge interest among the MK2 fraternity again this year. With a free entry to the 2015 event on offer to the winner, the rivalry is building every day. Expect to see further top additions to the already impressive line up over the coming days along with the inevitable predictions and odds on the title. Programs for the event go on sale from Wednesday August 20th and will be available from the following outlets. Costcutter Ballyhea Roche’s Londis Doneraile O’Sullivan’s Kildorrery Amber Service Station Charleville Doherty’s Centra Buttevant Keary’s filling Station Mallow The Roundabout Inn Mallow Programs will also be available from Greenhall Motors on Saturday August 23rd only and the service area; Charleville Agricultural Show Grounds on Sunday August 24th. For those who intend to marshal on the event, The Cork Motor club would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support over the years, your contribution and continued help cannot be praised enough. The marshals meeting points and times are as follows. SS1&3: Cost Cutter/Great Gas Ballyhea @ 07:45. Stage Commander Cathal Mansell. SS2&4: Roche’s Londis Doneraile @ 08:20. Stage Commander Martin Godfrey. SS5&7: Roche’s Londis Doneraile @12:00. Stage Commander Colin Fitzgerald. SS6&8: O’Sullivan’s Topaz Kildorrery @ 12:30. Stage Commander Tom Dunne. Kiera Dalys (Chief marshal) contact details. 0851145433. Live results for the event will be available on the day at harcon.ie Live Twitter updates will also be available on the day from @Ditchslapblog Keep up to date on all the happenings on the run up to the day on corkmotorclub , follow us on Twitter @corkmotorclub or check out the Cork Motor Club facebook page
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 19:35:35 +0000